City schools facing severe drop in student strength

April 29, 2010 05:50 pm | Updated 05:50 pm IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

In a bid to salvage government schools in the city with dwindling student strength, the city Corporation has asked school authorities to make constructive intervention to increase admissions to their institutions in the new academic year.

At a meeting of school headmasters held here recently, Corporation education standing committee chairman G.R. Anil directed them to form school-level support groups, involving teachers, parents, respective ward councillors and other stakeholders, to conduct house-to-house campaign to create awareness on the infrastructural and academic facilities in their schools.

“The schools authorities will have to intervene to increase admission and student strength. In the past three years, the Corporation has launched many programmes for developing the infrastructure and academic environment of schools. But people are not aware of these,'' Mr. Anil said.

He said that the Corporation spent around Rs.4 crore for school education sector every year.

New schemes

“We have introduced new schemes like morning meals and ensured infrastructural facilities like fans, furniture and proper classrooms in all schools. We have also elevated selected school to the level of model schools. All vacant posts in schools have also been filled, either through temporary or permanent appointment. Yet when it comes to student strength, many of our schools are struggling to survive,'' he said.

Of the 107 government schools in the city, around 20 schools, including Chembuvattom LPS, Pettah LPS, Vanchiyoor LPS, Kannammoola LPS, Panathura LPS, Kunnukuzhy UPS, Thampanoor UPS, Chakka UPS and Medical College HS were facing severe drop in student strength.

Directions had been given to these schools to achieve at least five additional admissions in entry level classes of LP, UP and HS sections this year.

“On one hand we have government schools like Cotton Hill and Pattom HSS, where they are forced to close admission because of the rush. At the same time we also have schools like Vanchiyoor High School, where the total student strength from class one to 10 is just 57,'' he said.

The school authorities had also been directed to involve alumni members to garner support of the public in the running of the school.

“Many of the government schools in our city, including those struggling to survive today, have an illustrious past. Many alumni members of these schools are today working in top posts in government and private sector. With the help of the teachers, parents and the alumni of these schools, we may be able to bring them back their old glory,'' Mr. Anil said.

The Corporation also runs 14 nurseries in the city. Of these the nurseries, the Jagathy and Secretariat wards have fewer than 10 children.

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